The Family Job
by wishyouknew222
Summary: The team was always in danger. They did good deeds and gained enemies. When you have to constantly watch your back, children do not fit into the equation.
1. Prologue

Eliot Spencer had given up on the idea of having a family. His line of work was not something children should be around. He knew that but it didn't stop him from wanting it. He had fantasized about a normal life. The white picket fence, doting wife, and 2.5 kids. Maybe even a dog. A long time ago he thought he could have both. Be a thief and have a family. He had learned quickly that couldn't happen. The people he dealt with would have no qualms about using his children against him. That's why he never told anyone about his family, his sister and nephew. He had mentioned them to the team but didn't go into detail about them. He kept them away from this life. No, a family was not in the cards for him and he had come to terms with that. So when Parker came to him and told him she was pregnant, he wasn't sure how to feel.


	2. Chapter 1

It had started with Parker sneaking into his apartment. She had trouble sleeping, most of the team did, and she didn't want to be alone and for the first time she had the option not to be. Sophie or Hardison would have been happy to have her, but for some reason she chose Eliot. He had come home late from a bar down the street. He went there occasionally to unwind after a job, have a drink and engage in some harmless flirting. He had no intention of bringing anyone home with him. That turned out to be a good thing when he came back to his apartment and found Parker sleeping in his bed. He was probably less surprised than he should have been, but he'd come to expect anything from her. He had moved to wake her up, but just couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked too peaceful so instead he pulled the covers more securely around her and turned to head for the couch.

The hitter hadn't gotten more than a step away before a small hand wrapped around his wrist. He turned around to see Parker staring at him, her eyes still clouded with sleep.

"Come lay with me," she ordered while tugging on his wrist. He knew it probably wasn't a good idea, but he pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed and slid in next to her. Immediately Parker pressed herself to his side, her arm around his waist and her head on his chest. Instinctively he wrapped an arm around her, holding her to him. Before he could really think too much about the position they were in or why he was letting her stay, his eyelids began to grow heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

Parker was gone when Eliot woke up in the morning and he almost thought it could have been a dream, but when he rolled over, the smell of her on his pillow told him it wasn't.

When Eliot got to the office, he found Parker sitting on the kitchen counter, eating a bowl of cereal. He waited to see if she would mention the night before but she said nothing. This left the hitter feeling even more confused than he had been, but he shrugged it off and went to stretch out on the couch and watch t.v. After flipping through the channels for a while, he settled on some documentary that he wasn't really going to watch. There was just nothing better on. Eventually Parker wandered over and sat in the arm chair next to the couch. Eliot decided this would probably be a good time to bring up the night before, but as he opened his mouth to speak the rest of the team came in, chattering away. Eliot closed his mouth and sat up to make room for the others to sit down.

That day the job was easy and didn't call for a hitter, some business man ripping off local charities. Sophie would distract the man while Parker cleaned out his safe and Hardison cleaned out his bank account. Simple. That meant that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Eliot had the day off.

Being a criminal didn't mean that Eliot didn't have to do normal everyday stuff. With his time off he went to the grocery store, did his laundry, and worked out. While he was at the gym, he had gotten the call that the job was done and everything went smoothly. He breathed a sigh of relief and really relaxed for the first time that day. He hadn't really expected anything to go wrong with the job but anything could happen and that kept him on edge.

When the hitter arrived home he went and got clothes to sleep in before heading for the shower to wash away the sweat and grime of the day. As he was washing his hair, he wondered if Parker was going to show up again tonight and was suddenly eager to get to bed. He convinced himself that it was just cause he was finally going to get some answers if the thief did show up. When he was done showering, he changed into the other set of clothes and dried his hair with a towel before brushing it and then headed to his bedroom.

When he walked in Eliot wasn't surprised to see Parker lying in his bed. He _was_ surprised to see that she was wearing his shirt to sleep in. Surprised and then oddly pleased but he refused to continue that train of thought. Instead he walked to the bed and climbed in on the opposite side of Parker and laid down. He turned toward her, intending to ask her why she started coming here but she had already pressed herself against his side again. Something about the way she looked at him and the way she gripped his shirt in her hand, as if afraid he would leave, made him decided not to ask her. Instead he wrapped an arm around her, kissed the top of her head, and let himself drift off to sleep holding her.

This pattern continued on for a few weeks. They never said anything about it at work but everytime he went to bed she was there waiting for him. He decided not to question her and she never said why she was there. Sometimes they stayed up to talk or she stayed the whole night and ate breakfast with him in the morning. He liked those days. The team could see that they were growing closer. If they were lounging around the office, then you could usually find Eliot and Parker somewhere together. Sometimes they were talking other times Parker would just sit and watch him as he cooked or worked out. Hardison was beginning to shoot him jealous looks but Eliot ignored them. He had nothing to feel guilty about. He hadn't done anything. _Til the night he kissed her._


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Interesting fact. I wrote this whole thing on my cell phone. And no I don't have a keyboard on my phone.**

She was late and Eliot was worried. He knew it was irrational but in their line of work, anything could happen. Especially with Parker involved. They had never talked about it, she had never said she would be there every night but she always was. He'd become used to her being there. She could just be at home but that didn't stop him from feeling worried. Not until he knew for sure where she was. He was pacing back and forth in his room and thinking about calling her or going to find her when she came in. The thief looked shocked to find him standing in the middle of the room, having assumed he'd be asleep already. He walked toward her and put his hands on her arms as if to make sure she was really there and it wasn't some stress induced hallucination. She looked at him strangely and was about to say something when Eliot crashed his lips down on hers. Parker seemed stunned for a moment and Eliot began to pull away. Apparently that wasn't what she wanted because she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him down into another kiss. After a few minutes Eliot pulled away, panting. Parker tried to pull him back to her but he wouldn't let her.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked, pouting a bit.

"Don't you think we should talk about this?" the hitter asked taking a step back so he wouldn't be tempted. Parker grinned at him before taking a step forward.

"Nope."

"Well I do." The hitter took another step back and his legs hit the edge of the bed. He couldn't believe this. He faced hardened criminals almost everyday, had every manner of weapon used against him yet he was backing away from a tiny blonde thief.

"What's there to talk about? I like you. You like me. We're already sleeping in the same bed yet we're not allowed to kiss? That's stupid." Then Parker seemed to have a rare moment of insecurity. She bit her lip and looked at the ground before she surprised him yet again. "Do you not want me?" Eliot would have laughed if she hadn't looked so serious. The hitter stepped forward and pulled the girl into his arms.

"You've got to be kidding. Of course I want you. How could I not? I just want to be on the same page about what we're doing here." Parker shrugged.

"I thought we were dating. We spend most of our time together and we like each other." She looked up at him through her lashes and grinned. "We sleep together and kiss. Isn't that what dating is?" Eliot grinned at her logic.

"I guess we are darlin." She smiled back and moved towards him again. This time when she kissed him, he didn't stop her.

When he woke up in the morning she was gone, but he tried not to think too much of it. Instead he focused on how they were going to tell the team they were together. The only one he foresaw giving them problems would be Hardison. Eliot knew he'd been harboring a crush on the thief since the team got together but Eliot figured if Parker wanted to be with the hacker she would have gone to him. Was it selfish? Probably. But the hitter figured he deserved some happiness after all the years of physical punishment he had taken. He wanted to be selfish for once.

As it turned out Eliot didn't have to say anything. When he got to the office he found three people arguing and an exasperated mastermind pouring himself a drink. Parker and Hardison seemed to be yelling at each other while Sophie was in between them trying to calm them down. Hardison looked pissed and Parker looked upset. Eliot took a step towards her and cleared his throat. Everyone's attention turned toward him and Hardison immediately took a step towards him, pointing at him angrily.

"You! What the hell have you done?" _Shit._

**A/N Me and my cliffhangers. Hope you liked it. I'm open to any suggestions for where you think things should go.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hope you like it. Leave me reviews. They feed my muse. ;-)**

"You! What the hell have you done?" _Shit._

This is definitely not how Eliot wanted to start his morning. He had imagined coming in and sitting everyone down. They would explain how their feelings had developed over the past few weeks and tell everyone that they were together. The group might be hesitant but they would be happy for them. The look in Hardison's eyes was telling him that happiness was the furthest thing from his mind.

"Look Hardison I-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off as his head snapped the the side a second before the blow registered. Hardison had punched him.

"Alec!" Parker said sharply as she moved towards Eliot, gently cradling his face in her hands to inspect the damage. Eliot kept his eyes on Hardison. It had taken everything in him to keep from lashing out at the man. All his insticts told him to fight. It was what he did. He wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. The hacker had gotten a pretty decent hit in and busted his lip. Seeing Parker touching him and worrying over him seemed to set Hardison off again as he started toward Eliot again. Eliot shoved Parker behind him.

"I let you get one hit," the hitter growled. "Next time I'm not gonna be so lenient so you better think about what you're about to do." This made Hardison pause. Even if he was a good fighter, as he often claimed, he was still no match for Eliot. Sophie walked over and gently grabbed Alec's arm.

"Let's just step away and calm down," Sophie suggested softly, leading the hacker towards the kitchen and away from Eliot. The hitter watched him until he heard Parker sniffling behind him. She was crying and the sight broke his heart. He led her over to the "living room" of the office and sat down on the couch, pulling her into his lap.

"It's okay baby," he soothed, the pet name slipping out without thought. He stroked her hair until her sobs quieted down, all the while he was planning all the ways he could get back at Hardison for making his girl cry.

"I didn't mean to upset everyone," Parker said quietly. She was really upset. These people had become her family and she didn't want to see them fighting. "Hardison said he had stopped by my place last night but I wasn't there. I told him I was at your place. When he asked me why I told him that I slept there and that we were together. That's when he got angry and started yelling." Eliot tightened his grip on her slightly.

"It's not your fault darlin'," he told her as he looked back at Hardison with a glare. This seemed to set the hacker off again.

"No! It's your fault!" he shouted, moving towards them again. "Parker isn't like your other girls! You can't just use her and toss her to the side."

Eliot's hands balled into fists and he had to restrain himself. First from the accusation that he used women. He treated every woman he was with with respect and almost always parted on good terms. Second from the accusation that he would _ever_ use Parker. He didn't need Hardison to tell him that Parker was different. He already knew that. She was beautiful, funny, and exactly what he needed. Someone who knew all about what he did and who he was. He didn't have to pretend with her. She was strong and could even hold her own in a fight which meant he didn't always have to protect her but he knew he always would. She acted a little crazy but he liked that. It kept things interesting. No, Parker was not like those other girls. He started to say as much when another voice interrupted.

"How about you stop talking about me like I'm not here," Parker said from beside him. She sounded irritated. "I know you all think I'm crazy but I'm not stupid and I can speak for myself. I can even make decisions on my own." This time her tone was bitter and she glared at Hardison, who had the decency to look ashamed. "I am with Eliot and you can accept it or not but either way it's not going to change anything. Deal with it." With that she brushed past the hacker and went to join Sophie in the kitchen. Eliot stood there grinning, feeling extremely proud of the thief and Hardison for once was speechless.

**A/N: I played this out a million different ways in my head and settled on this. Hope yoou liked it. R&R Suggestions are always welcome.**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry I took so long to update. I threw it a generous amount of fluff to make up for it :) Hope you like it.**

Hardison gave Eliot one last glare before storming out of the office. Eliot sighed. This was not how he wanted things to go. He walked into the kitchen to find Parker sitting on the counter and Sophie making tea. He said nothing as he went to stand between Parker's legs and rested his forehead on her shoulder. One of her hands came up and her fingers began to stroke through his hair while the other rested on his back, holding him to her. Sophie watched them, analyzing their every move as she always did. Her lips curved up in a small smile before she took her tea and left the couple to talk.

"I'm sorry I screwed everything up," Parker murmured quietly.

"You didn't," Eliot replied without lifting his head. "We had to tell them anyway. It would have gone the exact same way. Hardison just needs time, baby." There it was again, that pet name. They had become so affectionate with each other so fast. He was never like this with other girls.

"I like it when you call me that," Parker said, moving to lay her head on his shoulder as well so they were wrapped around each other. Taking comfort from each other. Eliot chuckled. Now she was a mind reader too. "Do you think it's a good idea for us to be together?" Eliot's head shot up, startling Parker at bit as she lifted her own.

"Do you not want to be with me anymore?" Eliot asked, starting to take a step back from her. Parker looked alarmed and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him back.

"I did not say that Eliot! Yes, I want to be with you but it seems to be causing trouble. This team is our family and I don't want to hurt it. I just wondered if you even thought I was worth it," Parker mumbled, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Eliot began to rub small circles on her back.

"You are very much worth it Parker. This and much more. Don't doubt yourself." Eliot took a step back and grabbed her hand, pulling her off the counter and leading her to the couch. He laid down and pulled her on top of him. She buried her head back into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her. "It'll work out. Hardison will come around. We're a family. We get mad, we fight, but we always come back."

"It could be dangerous too. The criminals we deal with, they could use us against each other." Eliot laughed though it wasn't a happy one.

"They could have done that already. You know I'll protect you, right? I'll keep you safe." He felt her kiss his neck before settling down again.

"I know." After a while, her breathing evened out and she fell asleep while Eliot laid there and thought about their future.

**A/N: Short I know. I don't know if this flows or it's any good but here it is. An update. I'm working on another one as you read this.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Enjoy! :)**

A few hours later, Eliot opened his eyes to find Hardison sitting in the arm chair doing something on his laptop. The hitter eyed him warily, trying to gauge his mood. The hacker looked relatively calm even with Parker laying in his arms sleeping.

"Hey," Eliot spoke up, his voice gruff from sleep. Hardison looked up at him briefly before returning his eyes to his laptop.

"Hey." At the sound of Hardison's voice he felt Parker tense up but she didn't lift her head. Apparently she didn't want to be a part of this conversation yet. Eliot was quiet as he tried to gather his thoughts. He finally opened his mouth to speak but Hardison beat him to it.

"I'm sorry about some of the things I said earlier. I was upset and out of line." The hacker closed his laptop and put it on the table, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "But my point still stands. Parker isn't like your other girls and I don't wanna see her hurt. She deserves to be happy."

"I don't want to hurt her," Eliot stressed. "I love her and given time I know I can be in love with her. I want this relationship to work. She's like no one I've ever known and I believe we have a future together." Now Eliot wasn't speaking only to Hardison but to Parker as well.

"If you do hurt her, I'll take you down," Hardison said seriously. Eliot grinned.

"If I hurt her, I'll let you." Hardison finally smiled back at him before getting up.

"I just came to settle things with you. I'm gonna head out. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya man. And Hardison?" Hardison began to walk out but stopped when Eliot said his name. "Thanks for coming to talk to me." The hacker nodded before walking out the door. As soon as the door shut he felt Parker's smile against his shoulder. She lifted her head to look at him. "I told you everything would work out, darlin'," Eliot said with a smile. Parker grinned and leaned forward to kiss him. Suddenly she pulled back, frowning. She tried to duck her head so Eliot wouldn't see but it was too late. He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up towards his. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I just realized how happy I am," the thief answered, laying her head on Eliot's shoulder once more.

"And that's a bad thing?" he asked confused. Without thought he began to run his hand up and down her back.

"For me it is. Every time I'm happy, something goes wrong. It never lasts."

"You can't think that way Parker. If you believe things will go wrong then they will. We'll take everything a day at a time and if something does go wrong, we'll fight like hell to get through it. You know how good I am at fighting things." His words had the desired effect as he heard her laugh. The sound made him smile.

"Thank you," she murmured. He knew it was hard for Parker to open up and make herself vulnerable and he was happy she could talk to him about these things. He kissed the top of her head.

"Anytime."

**A/N: Hope you like it! Sorry they're so short. Working through a mini case of writer's block. R&R Suggestions are welcome and reviews are loved.**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Enjoy**

A couple of weeks later, everything was back to normal. Sophie and Nate realized this when during a briefing, Parker sat in Eliot's lap and Hardison never stopped talking or looked upset. He had accepted them. It made the grifter breathe a sigh of relief. Their jobs continued as usual with Eliot only being slightly more protective of Parker, more inclined to go with her on her tasks but it never got in the way of him helping the others. Everything was good. Until Parker started getting sick.

She had been trying to hide it from him, not wanting him to worry. She had basically moved in with him so it was a difficult task. One day he woke up and reached for her to find she was gone. They had been taking an afternoon nap because Parker was tired, she often was lately, and she asked if he would lay with her. He sat up and stretched, thinking she was probably in the kitchen getting something to eat. That was when he heard a clatter in the bathroom and the sound of retching. He was out of the bed in an instant and heading towards the bathroom. He opened the door to find Parker hunched over the toilet. She must have heard his footsteps cause she lifted her head slightly.

"Don't come in here," she said weakly. Eliot ignored her and went to her, pulling her hair away from her face and rubbing her back. When she was done being sick, she leaned against the wall while he got her a cool cloth to put on her neck.

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick, baby?" the hitter asked as he handed her the washcloth and moved to lean against the counter.

"It's just a stomach bug. I'm fine," she insisted stubbornly. Eliot sighed. He knew no member of the team would admit if they were sick or hurt. It was seen as weakness and the people they dealt with exploited weakness. It was instinct to hide it but he hated that she felt the need to. He thought they were making progress with things like this.

"I would still like you to see a doctor," he pleaded. She looked at him and she could see the genuine concern on his face.

"Fine," she conceded. She didn't want to but she would do it if it made him feel better. He smiled at her.

"Good. I'll book an appointment later. Now come on, I'll make you something to eat." He went to the kitchen while she brushed her teeth and washed her face. When she felt better, she went out and joined him, dreading the appointment already.

**A/N: What do you think is wrong with Parker? ;) R&R**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Enjoy**

Eliot sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office, pretending to read some magazine he had no interest in while he waited for Parker to be done. She had insisted he not go with her because his hovering would make her nervous. He really suspected it was just because if she decided to escape, it would be easier if he wasn't with her. She had tried her hardest to get out of it. Saying that she was fine and she'd been through worse. She had even tried to get the team on her side but it backfired. Sophie immediately went all mother hen on her and wanted to drag her to the doctor right away. Eliot smiled at the thought. Parker looked like she was going to jump out the window, without worrying about a harness. Hardison had been just as amused as him and they sat back and watched the show. It finally ended when Nate said that Parker couldn't participate in any cons if she was sick. Eliot came out of his daydream and looked at the clock. He was beginning to get nervous because it seemed to be taking a long time. If she had snuck out he'd just have to drag her back and insure she stayed. There was no way she was getting out of this. He looked up as he heard the door open and saw Parker coming out. He smiled at her when she looked at him but her face remained blank. Now he was definitely nervous.

"Everything alright darlin'?" he asked hesitantly.

"Let's just go home." Despite his panic, he couldn't help the warm feeling he got when she called his place home. Proof of their progressing relationship.

"Okay let's go." He let the subject rest for a few minutes while they began the drive back. Parker never said a word, just stared at her hands. It was unnerving and Eliot's thoughts were going crazy._ What if she's seriously sick? What if it's life threatening? What if I lose her? _By the time they reached his place he was figuring out which doctors to call and which accounts to take money out of to insure Parker got the best care available. he let them in and Parker went and sat on the couch, still silent. "Parker, you need to talk to me." Nothing. "What did the doctor say?" Nothing. "Baby please you're scaring me." This time she looked at him and gestured for him to sit down. when he went to her she immediately began to cling to him. He automatically put his arm around her and began to rub her back.

"Can we just stay like this for a while?' she asked quietly. However much he wanted to know what had happened, he knew she needed this so he agreed. While they sat there he tried to think of all the things that could be wrong, things that could have her this shaken up. None of them were good. His arm tightened around her and he kissed her temple. Needing to reassure himself that she was with him and okay. He wasn't sure how long they sat there but eventually Parker pulled away.

"Are you ready to tell me?" she nodded and took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant."

**A/N: So I'm really irritated by how short this is but I wanted to do the reaction chapter seperately and I crammed as much extra stuff in as I could without making it obvious. Anyway I hope you like it. I'm considering twins. What do you think? R&R**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Good news! It's fall break which means a week off school which means more writing time. Enjoy!**

"You're...pregnant?" Eliot had a moment of pure joy before panic quickly followed it. How did this happened?" Parker gave him a pointed look. "Well obviously I know how it happened but I thought we were being careful."

"Not careful enough apparently." She looked down at her hands. "Are you angry?"

"Angry?" Eliot asked confused. "Why would I be angry?"

"I don't exactly think children were in your plans. I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm sorry." The thief looked on the verge of tears and she still wouldn't look at him. He put a finger under her chin and made her look at him.

"Baby, please don't apologize. I don't want you to see this as a bad thing. It's not something to be sorry about. I'm not at all angry, I'm just a little worried." They moved back into their earlier postion of her cuddled into his side and his arm around her.

"Why are you worried?" she asked, genuinely confused. Eliot sighed.

"We have a lot of enemies darlin'. People who would have no qualms hurting a child, our child."

"Then I'll leave," Parker said fiercely. "I'll get a new identity. Find a small town to live in, somewhere no one would look. I won't let them find us." In that moment Eliot knew he would never have to worry about Parker being a good mother. She was willing to give up the only life she had ever known for a child she had only known about for a few hours. She was going to be an amazing mother. He felt a surge of pride for his girl and leaned down to kiss her.

"You aren't going anywhere without me. If it comes to leaving, I'm going with you. I'll protect us. But do you really think the team is gonna let us leave. Hardison would track us down in an hour and once Sophie finds out you're pregnant she probably won't let you out of her sight for the next nine months." The only person's reation he was worried about was Nate's. He didn't do well around children and this news wasn't going to go over well with him. It was one thing for him to have to deal with a child every once and a while but to bring one into the team's everyday life was going to be difficult. Parker suddenly groaned loudly, startling Eliot. "What's wrong?" he asked alarmed.

"Do we have to tell them?" Eliot began laughing. Trust Parker to think she could get away with that.

"I think they're probably gonna notice eventually, darlin'."

"Oh fine but you have to stand in front of me when we tell Sophie."

Eliot groaned.

**A/N: Hope you like it. I decided twins is probably a bit much. Next is them telling the team. R&R**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Fasten your seatbelts, it's time to tell the team! Enjoy.**

Walking into the office the next morning, Eliot had Parker tucked under his arm. It was less for comfort and more because he had literally had to drag her into the building. The thief was spending the walk trying to bargain with him.

"Why don't we wait until next week? What could it hurt?" she pleaded with him. He rolled his eyes. It had been like this all morning.

"How would you feel if they kept something as important as this from you? We can't put this off," the hitter explained patiently.

"But I'm scared," Parker said softly with tears in her eyes. Eliot could tell the hormones were already starting to mess with her. Parker almost never cried. It was gonna be an interesting nine months and he knew she'd have him wrapped around her finger because he couldn't stand to see her cry.

"There's no reason to be scared, baby. This is our family. They'll be happy for us." Parker sniffled and nodded, tucking herself a little closer to him. Once he was sure she was alright, he led them into the office. Immediately Sophie was on alert as she could see Parker had been crying.

"What's going on?" the grifter asked, slightly panicked. She too knew that Parker almost never cried so it must be serious. Eliot sighed again. This wasn't how he wanted the morning to go. He didn't want anyone freaking out.

"Nothing is wrong Sophie. We just have an announcement to make." He led Parker to the couch and everyone began to sit down around them. He waited for everyone to settle down and also to work up his courage. Apparently he was taking too long for Sophie's liking.

"Well? What is it?" Eliot shot her a quick glare for rushing him but then decided to just go ahead and say it.

"Parker's pregnant."

Silence.

Eliot looked around for the team's reaction. Sophie's mouth had dropped open, Hardison was staring into the distance in a daze, and Nate was, as expected, taking a swig of his drink.

"Well is anyone gonna say anything?" the hitter asked nervously. Parker stayed quiet at his side, watching everyone.

"I'll say something," Nate said, placing his drink on the table. "How could you be so incredibly stupid?" Sophie gasped and Parker buried her face against Eliot's shirt, making him growl. He had told her they would be happy for them and now Nate was making a liar out of him. He opened his mouth to speak but Nate wasn't done. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? How reckless? It's a complete liability. Are you planning on letting Parker go on jobs? What if her rig breaks and she falls? She'll lose the baby. What if she gets kidnapped. You think criminals won't torture a pregnant woman?" Eliot's hands tightened into fists, trying desperately to restrain himself. "And if she manages to make it through the pregnancy, do you think they won't come after the child? Do you think they wouldn't kill the child?"

"ENOUGH!" a voice roared, startling Nate into silence. Surprisingly the voice came from Hardison. Nate took a look around at the team. Sophie was looking at him like she had never seen him before. Parker was sobbing and Eliot was trying to console her and Hardison looked ready to beat him half to death. He opened his mouth, to apologize maybe, but no words came out. Instead he stood and left the apartment, needing to collect his thoughts and get out before Eliot killed him. Sophie moved over to the couch and helped Eliot soothe Parker.

"Forget about him, love" the grifter said softly. "We're all here for you. We'll help you get through this. I swear it." Hardison sat on the arm of the couch and laid a hand on Parker's shoulder. The thief finally began to calm down, wrapped in the loving arms of her family.

**A/N: Don't hate me! I'm not trying to make Nate a bad guy. He just doesn't want them to lose their child and feel the same pain he did. He just expressed it in a bad way. R&R!**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Poor Nate. He's been exiled. Enjoy.**

For the next week, no one mentioned Nate. It was the elephant in the room. Sophie and Hardison now spent their time hanging around Eliot's apartment where Sophie was already making plans to turn his spare room into a nursery. While the grifter _was_ making these plans to get prepared, she was also doing it to keep Parker distracted.

After Nate had left and they had gotten out of his apartment. the thief wouldn't talk to anyone. Everyone knew that Nate was a sort of father figure for Parker and for him to act that way had really hurt her. She had retreated into herself. Only later that night when she and Eliot were laying in bed did she begin to talk. She told him that she hadn't wanted to upset Nate and bring up bad memories and that she felt like things would never be the same and that she had ruined the team. The hitter had spent an hour reassuring her that she hadn't done anything wrong and that things would go back to normal eventually.

A knock on the door brought Eliot out of his thoughts. He looked at Hardison, both of them knowing who it must be since the rest of the team was already there. Eliot debated whether he should answer the door or not. He was not going to allow Nate to upset Parker again, the stress wasn't good for the baby. He looked at Hardison again as if expecting him to have the answer.

"It's your call, man," the hacker told him, putting his lap top on the table, ready to follow his lead. Eliot sighed before getting up and going to the door. It opened to reveal a surprisingly sober looking Nate. The hitter pushed him back a step and joined him in the hallway, Hardison following and shutting the door behind them.

"You aren't going in there until I find out what you're here for. Parker doesn't need the stress." Nate looked at the floor, ashamed. _Good. He should be._

"I didn't come here to cause any more trouble. I came to apologize." Eliot leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm listening." The mastermind took a deep breath before beginning.

"I know what I did was wrong. When you told us Parker was...pregnant, it set off all kinds of flashbacks for me. I was afraid. Afraid that you would go through what I did and I don't want you two to go through that kind of loss. Later I realized how stupid that was. Instead of berating you, I should be helping you to make sure that what happened to me never happens to you. So I'm sorry and I hope you'll let me be a part of your and your child's life." Nate's shoulders slumped as if a great weight had been lifted now that he had said what he needed to say. Eliot gave a stiff nod.

"I accept what you said and we can accept you back because you're important to the women in there but you've got a long way to go to prove yourself to me. You're on thin ice, Nate and you need to straighten up. No more screw ups like that, especially now." The hitter held out his hand and the mastermind took it.

"I understand." Hardison opened the door and went back into the apartment with the two men following him. Before he stepped inside, Eliot looked back and flashed a quick smile.

"Good luck getting Sophie to forgive you."

**A/N: I seem to use Sophie as the boogie man a lot. I'm not quite sure if I like this chapter but I hope you do. So should I reveal the sex of the baby early or wait til the birth? R&R**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while but my mom has been in the hospital so as you can imagine, I've been busy. She's getting better now so I thought I should post a chapter. Enjoy!**

Eliot woke curled around Parker with his hand splayed across her still flat stomach. The hitter often found himself waking this way, protectively holding the mother of his child. He smiled, enjoying the moment of peace since he knew it wouldn't last.

The team had been back together for about a week now and today was supposed to be their first job. The group hadn't really discussed what Parker's role in future cons would be. If Eliot had his way, she'd be as far away from them as possible but he knew he'd have a tough fight on his hands. The thief was stubborn and she wouldn't want to leave the team down a member.

Looking over at the clock, he knew it was time to get up and reluctantly began to shake Parker gently. "Come on, baby. We gotta go to the office." The thief groaned and shook him off, scooting away. Eliot chuckled. She'd been sleeping a lot more lately and it was hell trying to get her up in the morning. Hopefully Eliot could send her right back to bed instead of to a job. "We have to figure out how we're doing this jon, darlin'."

"Fine! I'm up." Parker sat up and rubbed her eyes then glared at Eliot. He just smiled and kissed her before getting up and getting dressed. "So what's the job?" she asked as she got up and grabbed her own clothes.

"I'm not sure. Nate didn't say." _And you don't need to know anyways._

After breakfast and an unfortunate bout of morning sickness for Parker, they headed to the office. The rest of the team was already waiting for them and the two settled in. Sophie continued to glance at Parker and frown, letting Eliot know that he had back up in trying to keep the thief off the job. After Hardison went over all the information with them it was time to assign jobs and time for Eliot to speak up. He turned to Nate. "I don't want Parker on the job." His girlfriend gave him a shocked look.

"What are you talking about, Eliot?" the thief asked, looking annoyed.

"It's not safe. I don't want you to do it. You could get hurt." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down, determined not to give in. Nate looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there, making that decision. He was in a tough place, not wanting to upset Eliot _or_ Parker.

"I won't be in a position where I can get hurt. No building work. Just safes and maybe some grifting. I can do this," she argued stubbornly.

"No! None of it! You have no idea what could happen. Those things can be just as dangerous," Eliot argued back, getting frustrated.

"Parker," Sophie began gently. "It's not just you that you have to worry about now. You have to think about the baby. Eliot's just scared. None of us want anything to happen to either of you. Maybe it is best you sit this one out. Nate?" The group looked at Nate who was looking at the floor.

"You're off this job, Parker," the mastermind said quietly, without looking up.

"Why don't you just go home and get some rest. I'll be there later and we can-" Eliot froze mid-sentence when he turned around to find the door open and Parker gone.

**A/N: Oh Parker. She should know better than to run off on Eliot when he's in protective daddy mode. R&R**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm baaaaackkkkk :-)**

Eliot was immediately out the door, trying to follow her even though he knew it was pointless. She was already gone. He ran outside and looked up and down the street but saw nothing. If Parker didn't want to be found then she wouldn't be.

Upsetting his thief was the last thing he had wanted to do, but he had known it was inevitable. Now the mother of his child was wandering around the city alone and unprotected. It made him sick to his stomach. An upset Parker was a distracted Parker. She was vulnerable.

"Shit!" he cursed angrily, turning around and punching the wall of the building. He barely felt the pain in his hand. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and quickly whipped around, hoping foolishly that it was Parker. It was Sophie.

"Just give her some time to adjust. Everything is changing quickly and it can be a bit frightening," Sophie advised quietly. The hitter wished he could say her words brought him comfort but he wouldn't feel better until his girl was safely back in his arms.

_Safe._ And just like that Eliot knew where she was. He brushed past Sophie, not bothering to explain, and headed up the stairs. For anyone else heights would be terrifying but for Parker it was the epitome of safety. It was home for her.

Opening the door to the roof, the hitter breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the blonde sitting on the roof's edge, legs dangling over the side. He wasn't too thrilled about her seating choice. He moved to sit beside her but stayed silent. He wanted to let her process. Finally after a long couple of minutes, she spoke.

"Everything is changing so fast," the thief began with a sigh. "I don't know what to do anymore. I have no purpose. If I can't do my job, then I'm just a burden. "

"That's not true, baby. Nothing could be farther from the truth," Eliot stated vehemently. "You are not and will never be a burden to this team and I don't want you thinking that way again. This is your family and they love you whether you're serving a purpose or not." He wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand splayed across her stomach. "The only job you need to focus on is keeping yourself safe and the baby healthy. No one expects anymore of you. You're not letting anyone down." He knew that was the root of her worries. She didn't want to disappoint the team. Parker leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"How do you do that?" she asked, closing her eyes as she mused about the situation she found herself in. "I was so ready to be angry with you and now I just can't." The hitter chuckled.

"Maybe it's just my southern charm," he replied, thickening his accent.

"Hmm. Maybe it's cause I'm in love with you," the blonde murmured sleepily. Eliot swallowed hard.

"What did you say?"

A/N: I'm trying to get back into the swing of things so I hope this is okay. R&R!


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Enjoy!**

Parker shot up, suddenly more alert at the hitter's tone. She moved away so she could see him, then got very still as if he was some wild animal that would bolt if startled.

"You love me?" Eliot asked, not really expecting an answer. He just needed to say the words out loud. He ran a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. He wasn't sure why he was so surprised. He guessed it was because he had always assumed he would be the first to say the words. The thief wasn't exactly the most open with her feelings. For her to share that with him was a big deal. Now came the big question. _Was he in love with her?_

He considered the facts.

Would he kill for her? _Check._

Would he die for her? _Check._

Was she the first face he wanted to see in the morning and the last he wanted to see at night? _Check._

Were his first and last thoughts of the day of her? _Check._

Could he see himself spending the rest of his life with her even if they weren't having a child together? _Check._

When she was happy, he was happy. _Check._

Her pain was his pain. _Check._

_Damn, I'm in love._ A smile started to tug at the corner of his lips and it quickly spread into a wide grin. Parker looked a little stunned at the change but gave him a tentative smile back. The hitter leaned over and kissed her before pulling back just enough to speak. "I love you, Parker."

Her answering smile was radiant and he couldn't help but kiss her again. They sat there for a while, wrapped around each other, letting their admissions fully set in before they had to go back to the real world. Eventually Eliot realized how long they had been sitting on the roof and figured they should go back down to the office. The team was probably getting worried considering they didn't actually know for sure that he had found the thief. He stood up and held out a hand.

"We should probably go back, darlin'. I'm sure Sophie's freaking out by now." Parker chuckled and allowed him to help her up.

"Probably. I'm sorry for running off. I know that wasn't the way to deal with things," she said, looking sheepish.

"It's okay, baby. Just next time please talk to me. I don't think my heart can take these hide and seek games," he said, clutching his chest dramatically. It had the desired effect, making Parker laugh. The hitter tucked the blonde under his arm. "Come on. Let's go see what we can do about this job."

oOo

As it turned out, Nate had already taken care of the details while they were missing in action. He had had Sophie call in one of the many favors she seemed to have accumulated over the years and a thief was on her way to fill in for Parker. Her plane would land in a few hours. Her name was Paige Malone or at least that was the name she gave. Eliot thought it sounded fake. Like a name you thought was cool when you were a kid and wished was your own, though in this business, they rarely dealt with real names.

Paige was supposed to be one of the best thieves there was, second only to Parker and rumor had it there was a bit of a rivarly there. The hitter worried about that. He had seen the way Parker's jaw clenched when Nate said the name. He would have to keep his eye on that. If this new chick tried to start anything, the hitter would make sure she was on the first plane back out and Parker could just walk him through any break ins over the coms. It would take more time but he wasn't risking his girl getting stressed out.

Eliot settled on the couch with Parker curled into his side. "Why don't you take a nap, darlin'. We've got a few hours before we can do anything." The blonde nodded but made no effort to move, comfortable falling asleep where she was.

The hitter sighed as he looked at Paige's picture and credentials up on the screen. Things were about to get interesting.

**A/N: There's a new player in town! What do you think? On a side note, I'm sorry that the chapters are so short but I'd rather they be short and flow than be longer and full of useless junk. If they flow it's easier for me to write, I don't want to get stuck. So tell me what you thought, what you liked, and what you're hoping to see. R&R!**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: Enjoy!**

A couple of hours later, Eliot found himself in the kitchen making lunch for the team. Sophie was sitting on the couch with Parker's head in her lap, running her fingers through the blonde's hair as they watched a movie. There was something very maternal about the gesture. Parker had become a lot more comfortable with physical contact in the last few weeks. It was nice to see. Nate and Hardison were sitting the corner looking at the hacker's laptop. He was trying to teach Nate how to use it but Eliot could tell Hardison was getting frustrated. The corner of Nate's mouth curved up in a small smirk and Eliot realized the mastermind was doing it on purpose. The hitter chuckled. _Cruel._ Overall the whole scene was very domesticated. Just a normal day with the family. Their peace was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Nate and Sophie went to greet their new arrival since they were the general representatives of the team while Eliot brought the food into the living room. He had also brought Parker some crackers and ginger ale since she had been having trouble with morning sickness that day. The hitter wasn't sure why they called it morning sickness since that particular pain in the ass symptom could hit at any time in the day. The hitter settled on the couch next to her and began to eat.

Nate clearing his throat brought Eliot's attention back to the new arrival and he took the time to assess her. She had choppy black hair and hazel eyes. She was pretty but nothing special in his opinion. She had about the same build and height as Parker. He guessed that being relatively small was an asset for a job in which you had to squeeze through tiny air ducts.

The hitter looked to Parker to see her reaction but her face was blank. She didn't want anyone to know what she was thinking. Not always a good sign.

Paige had zeroed in on Parker and was smiling but something about it wasn't entirely pleasant. He could see the rivalry already.

"Nice to see you again, Parker," Paige offered, smile taking on a more mischevious look. Something was coming. "You have a nice set up here. You get to play house, pretend that you belong. That's different." Before Eliot really thought about it he was starting to rise to throw the woman out but Parker's hand on his lower back, fingers bunched in his t-shirt, held him in place. The black haired thief's eyes were drawn to the hitter at his slight movement.

"And you got the great Eliot Spencer tied to you for life. Nice retirement plan." Everyone seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Parker's reaction, Eliot especially. Whatever he thought she was gonna do, it wasn't what she did next.

Parker looked completely calm, rubbing small circles on Eliot's back to keep him from lashing out. Her lips twitched up into a smirk. "Jealous, Paige? It's not a good look on you."

This seemed to fluster Paige who had obviously thought Parker would be more upset. In fact, the blonde didn't seem upset at all. She looked amused. The look she gave the other thief seemed to say: _Is that the best you got?_

Eliot couldn't help but be proud of his girl for keeping her cool like that. Paige had definitely screwed up. Not only had she not succeeded in ruffling Parker but she had made an awful first impression on the team. It wasn't a good idea to piss off the people that you needed to have your back. _Rookie mistake._

Nate cleared his throat again, breaking the stand off. "How about we go over the plan again now that we have our _temporary_ thief. Hardison, run it." If Nate had noticed the emphasis he put on the word 'temporary', he made no indication of it, never even glancing at Paige who had taken a seat as far from Parker as she could.

The hitter leaned over to Parker as she took a sip of her ginger ale. "I love you," he told her, pride lacing his voice. The blonde gave a small smile as she began to nibble on her crackers.

**A/N: Parker is cool as a cucumber. This chapter just kinda poured out of me so I have no idea if it's good or a jumbled mess. What do you think of Paige? I'm not sure if she'll have a turn around or just stay mean. R&R and let me know what you think about it all. I appreciate the encouragement.**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: First job with Paige. I guess this is in Parker POV. Enjoy!**

The team was gathering their stuff and getting ready to leave while Eliot was saying goodbye to Parker. She was still uncertain about this new arrangement but she would give it a shot. The thief gave him a kiss and whispered for him to be careful before sending him on his way, not wanting to draw it out. He smiled at her and went to join Hardison. Paige walked by her on her way out the door. "No worries, Parker. I'll take _great_ care of your man."

Parker's hands balled into fists but she said nothing. She was not going to let Paige get to her. Shiny tomatoes! She really didn't like that woman.

Settling back in front of the screen that displayed the building layout, Parker slipped her com into her ear. Just because she couldn't be thier physically didn't mean she couldn't offer support and tips. She would feel better about waiting at the office if she could hear her team's voices and know they were alright. Already the usual banter between Eliot and Hardison had relaxed her.

"Eliot, Paige, go see what you can find in his office. Sophie, go distract him and Hardison see if you can hack into one of these computers and get something useful." Nate's voice came over the com, strong and sure as always.

It was silent for a while until she heard another voice come over the coms. She wished she hadn't.

"So Eliot, I gotta ask. Why Parker? I mean you're a _very_ attractive man and well Parker is just...well there's something wrong with her." The blonde gritted her teeth and forced herself not to respond. She could imagine Paige ogling her boyfriend as she said the words. Surprisingly it was the last part that hurt the most. The same words that Eliot always said. In the beginning they had been said in frustration but lately they had been affectionate, like a private joke between the two. Of course, Paige would find some way to ruin that. Eliot hadn't said anything so she assumed he was glaring at the thief and was choosing not to dignify her with a response. Paige wasn't deterred.

"Besides the fact that you could get a prettier girl, you might try finding one with more people skills. I can't imagine you two have much to talk about. She doesn't have the same interests as most. Plus she's not the most loyal sort. I hate to break it to you but if she wasn't pregnant, she probably would have moved on by now." Parker was seething. How dare she! _Who the hell does she think she is!_

"Shut the hell up!" came the growling voice of Eliot. Parker gasped a little at the anger in his tone. "You have no idea what the hell you're talking about! You don't know Parker, so just shut up! One more word and I'll leave you here!"

"Uh Eliot?" came a timid voice. _Hardison._

"What?" the hitter spat.

"Your little shouting match was heard by the guards. They're heading your way."

"Great!" The funny thing was that Eliot didn't sound sarcastic. He sounded eager. She supposed this fight would be a good way to burn off his anger since he couldn't take it out on Paige.

Still, Parker was worried. Usually she loved to watch him fight. There was something very beautiful and controlled about every move he made. Of course she still worried about him getting hurt and not being able to see him made that worry worse. She listened to the sound of blows landing and Eliot's heavy breathing. The thief wanted to know what was going on but she knew better than to distract him. She had no idea how many men he was facing. Then came the sounds that she feared: the sound of blows and Eliot grunting in pain.

"Eliot!"

**A/N: I feel like this is a kinda weird place to end it but I couldn't think of a better one. Of course, Paige is already talking smack but no one really expected better of her. So let me know what you think. R&R!**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: I didn't really intend for the last chapter to be a cliffhanger so I hope you aren't disappointed with the lack of some big, dramatic scene. Enjoy!**

An hour and a half later, found a shirtless Eliot sitting on the floor in front of Nate's couch, sulking, as Parker attended to the various cuts he had gotten from the fight. He probably wouldn't be sporting so many if Paige hadn't shouted his name and distracted him. He was already off his game because she had been making nervous little moves like she was going to bolt so his attention was half on her. He hadn't looked back at his thief but he could tell she was glaring at Paige because it was making the woman fidget where she was standing, off to the side. Finally, she snapped.

"Would you stop glaring at me! It's not even a big deal. _It's_ _his job!_" Paige spat. He felt Parker shoot out of her seat but he wasn't fast enough to catch her, slowed down by his bruised ribs.

"Parker!" the hitter called but it was too late. Before anyone could move to intercept her, she had punched Paige and was now standing over the woman, fuming. Eliot winced, knowing it must have hurt. After all, he was the one who taught his girl how to punch properly.

"Just because it's his job doesn't mean he doesn't feel pain, you selfish bitch! He's still human! So don't you dare stand there and tell me it's no big deal when you're out there putting the man I love in danger. If I were him, I would have left your ass there!" Parker shouted. Paige glared up at her from her new spot on the floor.

"I'll bet you would. You've always been good at leaving people behind, regardless of what may happen to them," the other thief spat back. Now Eliot was confused. _What the hell is she talking about?_

You could have cut the tension in the room with a knife. Parker stood ram rod straight while Paige continued to glare at her. The rest of the team was too shocked to say anything. Paige stood up.

"I guess you didn't tell them. Go on. Do it. Tell them how you left him in-" Paige's head snapped to the side from the force of Parker's slap.

"Shut the hell up and stay the hell away from me or I swear you'll regret it," Parker hissed out. She took a jerky step towards the door then looked back to Eliot and seemed to remember what she told him earlier because she headed upstairs instead.

No one said anything. No one moved. Finally, Sophie broke the tension by going to check on Paige. Eliot wasn't foolish enough to think it was because she considered the black haired thief a friend, more that she had a sense of duty to her since she was the one who asked her to come.

Paige shook her off. "You're lucky I owe you, Sophie, or I'd be gone already. That woman is crazy and she's dangerous. Call me when you need me for the job, I'll be at my hotel, I don't want to be here anymore." Maybe it was bad but everyone seemed to breathe a little easier when Paige walked out.

Eliot started up the stairs. He needed to make sure his girl was okay. _And that she hasn't gone out the window already._ _There's a lot more history to her and Paige than just a rivalry._

**A/N: I have no idea where this came from! I don't have this story planned out so I just write this stuff on the spot and this is where my muse wanted it to go I guess. Wondering what Parker's story is? So am I! Haha, don't worry I'll figure it out soon. I also know this is shorter but I wanted the story to be a seperate chapter. So tell me what you think. R&R!**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: In the end, I buckled down, put on some Laura Marling, and powered through it and got the story. Enjoy!**

Eliot found her in one of Nate's spare bedrooms. She was sitting up against the big, ornate headboard of the bed, staring out the window at the city. He settled next to her, resting his head against the wood and staring straight ahead. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly. Tentatively, she shook her head no. He nodded in response and moved to take her hand, entwining their fingers, giving it a small squeeze.

So for the next twenty minutes, the pair sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Did you know Archie trained Paige too?" Parker said softly. Eliot jumped a bit at the sound of her voice. He had gotten used to the quiet.

"No I didn't, darlin'."

"She came from an okay home so thieving was more like an after school hobby for her. That drove me crazy. At the time, it was survival for me. A wallet snatched meant food on the table. For her it was just fun. I hated her because she had a good life and she hated me because I was better than her. Still am," she added with a humorless chuckle. She was silent for a while, collecting her thoughts. The hitter squeezed her hand again to reassure her.

"There was a man. He had ripped Archie off, only paid him half for the job and had his goons scare Archie off when he tried to argue. So when he found out the guy was going out of town, he couldn't resist ripping him off. He ordered Paige and I to go to the man's house and empty out his safe and any other hiding spots we found." Her voice was even, void of emotion like everything was stating was simply fact and not a painful memory.

The thief's body slumped and she laid her head against Eliot's shoulder as if it was suddenly too much effort to hold it up. She was silent again and Eliot was anxious. He really wanted to know what had happened but he wouldn't push her.

"It should have been routine and quick. Just me and her. The day before, Paige comes to Archie with a proposition. She had this boyfriend named Derek. He was a local boxer and was looking to make some quick cash. When Paige told him about the job, he offered to do a little 'freelance security' which I guess is a nice way of saying hitter. For some reason Archie agreed, he had a soft spot for her, I guess. He reasoned that Colville, the man who ripped him off, would still leave a few men behind to guard the place. He couldn't have his best girls getting hurt after all." It sounded like she was quoting. "So then it was the three of us."

Eliot could head the sound of people moving downstairs and then the sound of the door closing. The team had left. They had probably just gone downstairs to the bar but he appreciated the semblance of privacy.

"Turns out Colville kept a lot more guards than we thought. When we heard the footsteps coming, Derek had us hide in the vents while he took care of it. Except he didn't. They overpowered him, knocked him out, and dragged him away. I told Paige to get out and go call Archie and tell him what happened while I went to find Derek." She paused and her voice got very quiet. "She trusted me." Eliot pulled his hand out of her's and slid his arm around her, tugging her closer.

"I made my way through the vents and found the room they were keeping him in. He was awake by that point. He said they had stepped out of the room to call Colville and see what he wanted them to do. They would be back any minute. I had the grate moved out of the way, just about to reach my arm out to him, when the door opened. The guards came piling back in. There were just too many of them and they were all armed and Archie told us every day that this business was every man for himself," she rambled. Her breath hitched a little and she took a minute to compose herself.

"I told myself it was too late. That they would probably just beat him and drop him on our doorstep, send a message. They sent a message alright. The way the sound of that lone gunshot echoed through the vent was something I'll never forget." Eliot stayed silent. He had a feeling she had never shared this story with anyone and she needed to get it out.

"Paige was in shock when I came out alone. She had this look of utter disbelief and horror. I had to drag her away. When we got back to Archie's she snapped out of it. Started screaming at me that I did it on purpose because I hated her. Then she attacked me. Guess Derek had taught her some things because she gave me a concussion and broke two of my ribs. I didn't fight back. I felt like I deserved it. He died because I was too selfish to save him. Too selfish to try."

Eliot tightened his grip on her. He didn't bother to tell her that she couldn't have helped the boy. That they both would have died. He knew she knew that but guilt was a funny thing. It didn't care about logic. A little voice in the back of his head whispered that he was glad she hadn't tried. That if given the choice, he would sacrifice lives for Parker's safety without a second thought.

"Paige went off the grid after that. Packed up and left down. I didn't run into her again until I really started to make a name for myself and when I did she was different. She was hardened and she just looked older. It was the eyes. They looked like mine used to. Broken. I did that to her." She stopped and took a shaky breath before looking at him. He could see tears welling in her eyes.

"I need you to know that I would never to that to you. _Never._ I wouldn't leave you, I'd die first. Please, believe me." She was sobbing as she said the last and it broke his heart. He had never seen her this upset. He pulled her close, kissing her temple, her cheeks, her eyelids, anything he could reach.

"Shh. I know, baby. I know you wouldn't. I trust you. I do." He kept murmuring words of comfort to her until she had cried herself out. She sat in his lap with her face buried in the crook of his neck, sniffling softly as he rubbed circles on her back. His poor girl. She'd been carrying this guilt around for so long, even though she couldn't have done anything, and now Paige was here to stir it all up. The hitter knew that Paige had a right to be upset but she couldn't keep taking it out on Parker and he wasn't going to let her.

**A/N: So there it is. I had no idea what I was gonna write when I sat down and started this chapter and it ended up being the longest one yet. So what do you think? Do you understand Paige a little better now? I hope it all lived up to your expectations. Let me know. R&R!**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: I've been hit with new inspiration and ideas! Plus I figure we all need our Leverage fix where we can get them now that the season's wrapped up.**

A couple of weeks passed without incident and Eliot started to become complacent. Paige had avoided Parker completely with the exception of a few nasty looks and he began to think that she was taking his thief's threat seriously. The hitter made the mistake of getting comfortable. So comfortable that when he decided to cook the team breakfast on Sunday, he thought nothing of leaving Parker at Nate's while he ran to the store for supplies.

So as Eliot drove to the store down the street, Parker headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of the tea Sophie had bought her that was supposed to help with morning sickness. She sat on the counter as she waited for the kettle to boil. Sophie insisted that if she was going to make tea, she had to do it the proper way.

The thief was idly reading the back of a cereal box when she head movement near the door. She assumed it was Nate coming downstairs since she hadn't heard the door open and went out of the kitchen to greet him but instead found Paige. _Of course I didn't hear her,_ Parker thought, irritated to be in the apartment alone with her. They were trained to be silent.

Paige's eyes narrowed as soon as Parker came into view but as she looked around and realized they were alone, a slow smile spread across her face. "I'm surprised to see you without your guard dog," the dark hair thief said casually, leaning back against the wall. "Though I guess he has other things to worry about nowadays."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean," Parker growled out, a habit she picked up from spending so much time with Eliot. Paige's smile widened into a full blown grin.

"I heard Nate and Sophie talking. They're worried about you," the thief told her, putting on a mock look of concern. "Apparently they overheard a phone call between Eliot and someone named Aimee. Does that name mean anything to you?" Parker had immediately stiffened upon hearing the name of Eliot's former love.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Parker responded, wincing when she heard her voice waver. As much as she didn't want to let Paige get to her, she couldn't help her insecurities.

"No? Well let me take an educated guess. High school sweetheart? First love?," she paused and gave Parker a wicked grin. "Love of his life?" Parker flinched at that. "Well whoever she is, apparently she wants to see Eliot and he's agreed. Not surprising. You never _really_ get over your first love. Remember that."

"You're lying!" Parker shouted. Part of her was secure in her relationship with Eliot but a bigger part of her, borne of abuse and abandonment, was all too willing to believe the betrayal. Sophie and Nate came down the stairs, woken up by the commotion.

"You can ask him yourself," Paige replied smugly as Eliot and Hardison walked through the door carrying groceries. Eliot froze when he felt the tension in the air and saw how upset Parker looked.

"What's going on, darlin'?" the hitter asked warily, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Paige.

"Is it true?" Parker asked before she could stop herself, her voice cracking slightly. Eliot looked confused.

"Is what true?"

"That you've talked to Aimee. That you're planning to see her!" Parker shouted, her emotions getting the best of her. Eliot looked at a loss for a moment, his mouth opening and closing.

"...Yes it's true but-"

"Stop! I don't want to hear your excuses." The thief rounded on Nate and Sophie angrily. "And you two! You knew? You knew and you weren't gonna tell me? I had to find out from Paige of all people! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?" She could feel the traitorous tears building up in her eyes. She felt like an idiot for allowing herself to be so vulnerable. She knew better than that by now. The only person she could truly trust was herself. "I can't-" her sentence was cut off as she doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach.

"Parker!" Eliot shouted alarmed, rushing towards her.

"Something's wrong," Parker cried out, tears spilling down her face.

"Come on, I'll take you to the hospital," Eliot told her. He tried to take hold of her arm gently but she shook him off violently.

"No! Hardison can take me. I don't want to see any of you. Just stay away from me," the thief sobbed out harshly as she headed toward the hacker. Hardison wrapped an arm around Parker to support her and looked back at Eliot helplessly as the hitter was forced to watch all that mattered to him in the world walk out the door without him.

**A/N: I had the hardest time getting this started but once I did, it flowed out pretty easily. A reviewer requested drama in Parker and Eliot's relationship and well I try not to do anything half way. Let me know what you think? R&R It really does inspire me.**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: So everyone pretty much wants to hit Paige. I've already got something planned for her. I think it was only my last line that made you guys forget to be mad at Eliot for the Aimee thing. Enjoy!**

Eliot whipped back around at the sound of Paige's laughter.

"Just what the hell do you find so funny?" the hitter growled, fuming. This girl was ruining his life and laughing about it? Paige stopped laughing but continued to smile at him.

"You. Them. This whole situation. I almost feel bad for Parker. The guy she loves is making plans with another woman behind her back and her friends are lying for him. It'll be a wonder if she ever trusts you," the thief told him with a smirk. "Poor Parker's all alone again."

"Why are you doing this to me!" the hitter shouted, pulling at his hair in fustration. "To us!" At this the smirk dropped off her face and her eyes hardened.

"I didn't do anything to you. I told the truth, hurting Parker was just a happy byproduct." They both knew that was a lie, it was her goal all along. "You made your bed, now lie in it. Plus why should that bitch get to be happy when she ruined my life? The only one I feel sorry for in this situation is that baby for having such messed up parents and that might not even be an issue anymore."

"SHUT UP!" Eliot yelled, furious. He couldn't understand how anyone could be so unfeeling. "You better pray that they're both okay or I'll fucking ruin you. Now get out of my sight." Something about the look on Eliot's face must have warned Paige off from provoking the hitter anymore cause she simply grabbed her bag and made her way out the door without another word.

The apartment was completely silent as the door shut behind her until Sophie broke it.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know."

oOo

It was night time when Eliot finally made it to the hospital. Hardison had called and told him Parker still didn't want him there so he waited, probably longer than he should have. Part of him wanted to give Parker time to cool down but another part of him was terrified about what he would face when he got there.

Even now he couldn't bring himself to go into her room so he stood in the hall trying to build up some courage. Ideally, Parker would be asleep and he could have a few hours of peace with her before she woke up and started screaming at him or worse, kicked him out. He could deal with her anger as long as he could be near her.

A passing doctor noticed him standing outside her room and stopped to talk to him.

"Are you here to visit Mrs. Spencer?" For a moment, Eliot almost let a smile spread across his face at hearing the name, liking the way it sounded and hoping to make it true in the future, but stopped himself considering where he was. It would definitely give the wrong impression. Still, her using his name gave him some hope that all wasn't lost.

"Yes, I'm Eliot Spencer." He paused, afraid to ask his next question. "Are they okay?" The doctor gave him a reassuring smile.

"Both Parker and your child are fine. She's resting comfortably right now but I am concerned. The first trimester is a very delicate time and she's at a much higher risk for miscarriage. It's very important that she stays away from stress and upsetting situations."

"That's not gonna be a problem, doctor," Eliot reassured him. If the hitter had his way, Paige would be on the first plane out of town.

"Other than that, she seems to be in perfect health. If you'd like to go see her, I think she's been waiting for you." Eliot gave the doctor a nod and a strained smile before heading into Parker's room.

The first thing he noticed was Hardison sleeping in a chair in the corner as he instinctively did a sweep of the room. The next was Parker sitting up in the hospital bed, watching him. His stomach dropped when he realized her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"I didn't think you were coming," she said stiffly. The sound of her voice in the quiet room waking Hardison who quickly caught on to the tension in the room.

"Thanks for staying Hardison. I can take it from here," Eliot offered. The hacker looked to Parker for approval and at her nod, clapped the hitter on the back and headed out the door.

Taking a seat in the chair Hardison had just vacated, Eliot reached for Parker's hand, frowning when she pulled it out of his reach.

"Are you okay?" the hitter asked quietly.

"Do you care?" Parker shot back petulantly, crossing her arms over her chest. Eliot had to refrain from rolling his eyes at that statement.

"You know I do, baby."

"No I don't know that Eliot," the blonde responded fiercely, leaning forward to stare at him, eyes blazing. "I never thought you would lie to me about something like this. I never thought you would betray my trust. I never thought you would go behind my back to see another woman. I never thought you would cheat on me. So you see, there's a lot of things I didn't know, Sparky." She finished with an angry huff and he could see tears welling up in her eyes again. The hitter was stunned.

"Parker, do you actually believe that's why I was going to see Aimee?" He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Do you honestly think so little of me as to think I would cheat on my pregnant girlfriend?"

"Don't try to turn this around on me!" Parker screamed, looking furious. He watched as whatever she was thinking drained the fight right out of her and she slumped back against the pillows. "What am I supposed to think when you're going to see 'the love of your life.'"

Eliot couldn't take anymore. He moved to sit on the bed and reached out to cup her cheek gently with one hand, making her meet his gaze.

"Don't do that. Don't let the things Paige said get to you. Aimee called me and told me she'd be in town visiting a friend and wanted to see me. I was going to see her to tell her about you and finally get closure on that relationship. I felt I at least owed her a face to face conversation with all our history. You are the love of my life Parker, okay? _You._ What I had with Aimee was young love. What I have with you doesn't even compare, darlin'. She's the past, you're my future. My forever. Don't ever doubt that."

Parker raised her hand to cover his own, leaning into his touch and letting her eyes close, tears sliding down her cheeks. Lacing her fingers through his, she brought their joined hands down to rest in her lap.

"I got scared. Everyone in my life has left me or given up on me at some point and I don't think I could take it if you did the same thing."

"I'm not going to leave you, baby. I promise."

"And you can't keep things like that from me. I need to be able to trust you."

"I won't. Total honesty from now on." He paused, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Are we gonna be okay?" She gave him a weak smile.

"It's gonna take some time to get back to where we were but I think we'll make it." The hitter let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding and leaned forward to give her a kiss.

"I can wait," he said with a smile. "Why don't I go see what I can do about getting you out of this place?" At Parker's energetic nod, he chuckled and pecked her on the lips once more before heading out to find a doctor. He pulled out his phone as he left the room. He needed to make a call first.

**A/N: Who do you think he's calling? I hadn't given much thought to the time line til last chapter which was stupid but I'm putting Parker at about two and half months into her pregnancy. Almost to the end of the first trimester. I see baby bumps and sonograms on the horizon. Thanks for all your feedback, it helps me add little details. R&R!**


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